This the first installment in the Raven And the Iris Series.
Fantasy romance is a genre I've only read a little bit of and I was delighted when the author gave me a copy to read in consideration for an honest review.
This is the publisher's blurb:
A con turned cop. And urchin turned lady.
Two webs of lies. An epic love.
Sir Vincent Sultaire is the Raven, rakehell, playboy, con, serving a term of indenture for the crimes of burglary and extortion. His lover, Lady Angelique Blakesly, seems to be a wealthy, widowed baronness and devout member of the conservative Guardian Paladin church. But Angel's careful poise and reserve conceal the Iris, one of Fernwall's most successful high-stakes burglars; and beneath the collar of Raven's indenture, he's playing the cops and the cons for fun and profit.
Their deceptions intersect explosively after the brilliantly executed theft of the priceless Magun-Zak. Sir Vincent is put in charge of the investigation, a thief set up to catch a thief. Angelique, beholden to forces beyond her control, is desperate to stop him.
Will Raven discover the truth? And will it be enough to set Angel free before their lies destroy them both?
This story has an almost Tolkien feel to it. The authors have constructed a world that has its own societal structures, cultural norms and complex class system. We have regions whose inhabitants boast distinct accents and manners. And the book has an interactive wiki feature that allows you to explore the world while you read - talk about bang for your buck!
This story is about Raven (aka Vincent Sultaire) and Iris (aka Baronness Angelique Blakely of Carlisle). They are both master pretenders. In public Angelique pretends to be noble and pious member of Fernwall's ruling class. Vincent's public face is that of a reforming and humbled scapegrace who is serving out his indenture and seeking readmission to the society he was born into and turned his back on as a youth.
In private, they are lovers whose passion burns so hot that it overwhelms them both. Yet, even in their most intimate moments, Iris' secrets and lies create a barrier that Raven is not aware of. And the oaths that they take as a way to bind themselves together for life are no match for the bonds constructed of deceit, obligation and fear that hold Iris in thrall to another.
The reader knows Iris' secrets before Raven does and as we watch him get closer to the truth, the tension and foreboding is palpable.
And when Raven finally learns the truth, his devastation is keen. Raven struggles with feelings of betrayal and disappointment that are tempered by the guilt of not letting Iris know that she could trust him to carry her burdens. It is a sad state of affairs. The story ends in a cliffhanger that will have you rushing to start book two Dead Man's Trigger. There are some difficult themes that are explored in this story (view spoiler)[ rape, forced consent, infidelity (hide spoiler)] and the characters are both deeply flawed individuals who are both to blame for the predicament that they find themselves in.
If you read a lot of fantasy add this to your TBR. If it's genre that is new to you, this is a great place to start. It is extremely well written, well plotted and full of passion and intrigue. It is erotic and dark at times. It packs a tremendous punch in its 332 pages!
This gets 4 fantastic stars and I will be reviewing Deadman's Trigger shortly!
